Evan Fournier, right, greets NBA commissioner David Stern following Fournier's selection at No. 20 by the Nuggets in the 2012 NBA Draft on June 28. "Here's a guy who's only 19 years old and showed toughness and poise playing professionally in France," says Hochman.

I correctly guessed that the Nuggets would draft a shooting guard but was disappointed that it was Evan Fournier instead of John Jenkins, who I think was the best pure shooter in college basketball last season. I know Jenkins worked out for Denver. Do you have any idea why they passed him over for Fournier?

— Aaron Trent, Bristol, Tenn.

Well, Aaron, there’s no question that Denver loved the way that Jenkins shot the ball. And there’s no question that Denver, in order to compete in the West, will need to make the 3-ball more often.

But it wasn’t that they didn’t like Jenkins, who they worked out twice. It was just that they liked the overall game of Fournier more. Here’s a guy who’s only 19 years old and showed toughness and poise playing professionally in France. As we’ve seen early on in these summer league games, he’s a pretty good playmaker and can knock down some 3’s. That was the big question — his 3-point numbers weren’t even close to Jenkins’, but could the young Fournier find his touch?

It’s going to be a long process for the kid, but Denver scouted him meticulously and saw promise in his shot and his footwork. And thus, Denver went with Fournier.

What is the status of signing JaVale McGee? I think he is a great fit for the Nuggets.

— Dan, Colorado Springs

I’m writing you this on Wednesday afternoon, but at this point, it appears that he’s going to end up re-signing with Denver. As of now, the Nuggets have offered him a five-year deal worth a total of $50 million, which is not bad for a guy who only started five of 20 games for the Nuggets last season. But big guys get paid in this league, just ask Judge Reinhold look-alike Omer Asik.

And McGee, like you said Dan, is a great fit. He’s got springs on his sneakers, and he runs the floor with a purpose; Denver, of course, thrives off of transition basketball. He is still learning the intricacies of defense, and he doesn’t have much of a jump shot, but this guy is an investment — and McGee said that he wants to be here. That’s important in this modern NBA.

Benjamin – I loved the Nuggets’ effort in the postseason. They showed heart, toughness and speed. What do you say about the Nuggets adding that final coveted piece to the championship puzzle and signing a top tier free agent like Dwight Howard? Let the “summer talk” begin!

— Cory, Casper

Cory – I love the George Karl reference to “summer talk.” That’s one of his favorite phrases, in references to the what-ifs and because-of-this-move comments made during the offseason. If you go by summer talk, there would be, like, 20 teams in basketball that would win 50 games each season.

As for Dwight, it’s as simple as this: He hasn’t expressed interest in wanting to play here in Denver. The Nuggets actually have a great number of young assets to work out a trade for a player like Howard, not to mention a trade exception. They can cook up any deal they want, but if Howard doesn’t sign off on it, it’s unlikely the deal could get done.

Have you heard any news on a Ty Lawson contract extension this summer?

— Justin, Englewood

Justin – Good news on that front: Both sides want to make this happen, and both sides have begun preliminary talks.

“It’s definitely going to get done,” Lawson said. “I know I want to be here. I know they want me here. I think something is going to be done soon.”

At the end of the process, Lawson is expected to become the highest-paid player on the team. The contract, which at maximum could take shape at five years and on either side of $65 million based on minimum criteria in the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, will solidify him as the face of the franchise.

Asked why he was so optimistic things would be done soon, Lawson said: “Just our talks. We’ve been in meetings actually discussing it. I definitely know it’s going to be done soon.”

Is Coby Karl playing somewhere now? What’s the status of Rudy Fernandez? Did he have back surgery and will he return to the Nuggets?

— Seymour Rubenstein, Denver

Well, Seymour, Coby is still playing professionally. He was in Italy last season, playing for a squad called Fabi Shoes Montegranaro. And he’s currently on the Timberwolves summer league team in Vegas. George Karl has often said that when Coby retires, he wants his son on his coaching staff.

As for Rudy, his short tenure in Denver is over. He has signed a three-year deal to play for Real Madrid in Spain.

Benjamin Hochman was a sports columnist for The Denver Post until August 2015 before leaving for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, his hometown newspaper. Hochman previously worked for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for its Hurricane Katrina coverage. Hochman wrote the Katrina-themed book “Fourth and New Orleans,” published in 2007.

WASHINGTON — Thirty games into the 82-game NHL season, and nearly six weeks after the Matt Duchene trade, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic discussed the state of his team before Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at the Washington Capitals.